False Farewells
by Quatre Winner
Summary: Sequel to "No Goodbyes". Gibbs and Ziva head to the Islands when Sora's accused of murder. With two weeks to stop Sora's execution and help from a surprising source, can they uncover the truth in time?
1. Chapter 1

Hi people! Betcha didn't see this coming, did you?

This was supposed to be a one-shot, but a lot had to happen so it ended up becoming a two-shot.

I rather liked the universe I came up with for No Goodbyes, and I didn't want to leave it alone. So, this was born. Where NG was more focused on Sora and the Kingdom Hearts aspects of the series, this is supposed to focus more on Gibbs and how he handles things. Sadly, Donald and Goofy don't make appearances.

Warnings: Character death, angst.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or NCIS. If I did, things would be a lot more interesting, wouldn't they?

* * *

He tasted sand, dirt, and copper in his first bleary moments of wakefulness. His head pounded from the tropical sun burning his eyes even before he'd opened them, myriad red dancing counterpoint to white hot lights of pain. The ground under him was hard and uncomfortable, sand worming its way into places that he knew would be torture to get out of later. The last thing to return was his sense of self, his whole body aching from something he couldn't remember.

Groaning, he opened his eyes, taking in a hot morning sun low over the horizon, a stretch of beach under him. It was perfect until his gaze fell closer, where the tan sand took on an ominous color.

Suddenly the copper taste made sense. Aches forgotten he surged upwards, unruly brown hair shedding a shower of sand and bright blue eyes widening at the scene he found himself to be in the middle of.

Red colored the once-pristine beach, splashed seemingly at random across sand and the occasional tropical plant. He wasn't immune, his own clothes noticeably stiff though the black betrayed no color. His arms were stained red, sticky and horrifying in a way that even he hadn't seen. In the midst of all the red…

"Wakka," he blurted out, his voice hoarse. The other teen's dead eyes stared at him accusingly, throat an angry slash of crimson, blitzball deflated under his arm. "What… what happened here?"

He stumbled backwards, away from his dead friend. His feet met water and kept going, and soon he found himself waist-deep in the calm ocean, faced turned upwards into the sun. He tasted salt on his lips, mind stuck somewhere back in his waking stupor.

He didn't know how long he stood there. His bones were chilled before he heard the splash of oars and he turned his head to see who had come.

"Riku," he greeted, voice barely a whisper above the quiet ocean waves. "Kairi. Wakka… Wakka…"

"Sora," the girl whispered, horrified. Her red hair was messy and her clothes were rumpled, but her blue eyes were wide awake. "What happened?"

"I woke up next to Wakka," Sora answered numbly. "He's back there, and he's…" He couldn't bring himself to say it. Fortunately he didn't have to. Riku's green eyes were sharp as ever, glancing behind him and understanding what had happened in an instant.

"Kairi, call the main island. Tell them we found Sora and Wakka. And tell them…"

Kairi nodded in understanding, finally seeing what the older boy had. "I will."

Sora turned away from his friends, facing into the tropical sun once more. They couldn't persuade him to move from his spot, not until the motor-powered boats from the main island arrived with policemen and coroners. Riku and Kairi were ushered away from him but he didn't mind, his heart taking refuge in the numbness that had claimed him. If he allowed himself to feel, then the carnage would become too real and he would break.

A psychiatrist waded into the water next to him, a woman taller than him with short-cropped brown hair and understanding brown eyes. He ignored her soft voice and gentle touches, instead enjoying the sun on his face. It had moved up since everything had begun and was now burning cruelly above his head.

His first reaction came when the police came to him, none-too-gently grabbing his shoulders. Only then, in response to that harshness, did he make his move. Keyblade in hand he leaped free of their grasp, landing on once-tan sand and glaring at them. He paid no mind to the various swords and guns pointed at him, only interested in ignoring reality and returning to his sun-drenched dream.

His friends, whom he trusted implicitly, were the ones to betray him. Riku caught him from behind, his own Keyblade drawn, and with one quick strike to the head darkness returned.

* * *

Life was normal for one Leroy Jethro Gibbs. His workload was thankfully light, no Navy personnel dead or dying or in danger on his watch. An event like this happened very rarely and he was enjoying the time off his boss had thoughtfully granted to him and his overworked team. As usual he was in his basement, hard at work on another boat. His grey hair was smothered in dust and he had the air conditioning on a few degrees too warm for the weather. As a result he and his clothes were soaked with sweat, but that didn't seem to be bothering him in the slightest. He seemed to revel in the physical exertion.

He didn't flinch at the creak of the stairs behind him, though his hand strayed from the hammer he'd been reaching for to the gun sitting beside it. "Identify yourself here or at the hospital," he ordered calmly.

A snort. "You couldn't hit me if your life depended on it."

Gibbs knew that voice just as surely as he knew his team's. "Riku Replica, I presume," he identified coldly. He picked up his gun anyway, pointing it at the unwelcome intruder. "Here to kill me since I stopped you from killing Sora?"

The silver-haired teen glared at him, green eyes cold. He still wore the black coat from Gibbs' last encounter with him, though it was unzipped this time. He wore black pants under the coat and a white shirt that was rumpled and dirt-streaked. "If I were you'd be dead already. Peace, all right? I have some news and a favor to ask."

"Uh-huh. How often have you used that tactic?" Gibbs asked sardonically.

"Sora's in trouble."

"And the sky's falling. Get out."

"I'm not playing around!" Riku Replica exploded, dark fire bursting from his hands and scorching the wood he stood upon. In the blink of an eye he'd descended the staircase, seized Gibbs' gun, and had the taller man backed against the wall. Gibbs struggled futilely at the iron hand gripping his wrist and shoulder but the other's slight build was misleading. He stared Gibbs in the eye, green boring into blue. "Sora's going to die if you don't help him. I don't know what else I can do, you're the first one I thought of!"

Gibbs stared the teenager down, weighing the other's body language and the desperate gleam in his eye. After a moment he nodded. "Fine. Let me go and explain everything."

Replica backed off, running his hand through his hair. "Sora's been accused of murdering his friend Wakka. All evidence points to him so far as the authorities are concerned. If you don't help prove him innocent he'll be executed." If Gibbs didn't know that Replica had once tried to kill Sora, the other would have looked exactly like a flustered friend. He paced the few steps Gibbs kept around his boat, coat knocking aside loose nails and screws.

"He'd have to be tried and sentenced, it could take years. What do you need me for?" Gibbs wanted to know. He'd finally lowered the gun, though he kept it in his hand. Just in case.

"On the Islands, execution is the mandatory sentence for murder," Replica explained. "Where I'm from, the police stop investigating once they think they have the right guy and the evidence agrees. Two weeks, maximum, is allowed before the culprit is punished."

"That's insane," Gibbs protested. "If someone were framed, an innocent man could die!"

"Quite a good deterrent, right?" Replica asked sardonically. "Murder's the rarest crime of them all. No one wants to die."

"All right, so what do you want me to do?" Gibbs demanded. "I can't exactly waltz over to the Islands. I don't have any credentials over there, and who's to say they'll even listen to me?"

Replica hung his head. "We have to try, right?"

There was no denying that. "Fine. Let me get my gear and my team together." Gibbs pushed past Replica and made his way up the stairs, trusting the silver-haired teen to follow him.

"I can't bring your entire team," Replica told him. "Not enough coats. I can bring just one, then deliver whatever you pick up to your lab."

"Coats?" Gibbs asked. They'd reached Gibbs' bedroom by now and Replica obligingly waited outside. Quickly the older man ducked in and out of the shower, scrubbing sweat and filth free with the ease and speed of long practice. Replica obligingly raised his voice over the water.

"These black coats. They'll protect you from the Dark Corridors," the teen explained. "Without them you're in danger when you pass between the worlds."

"Should I ask where you got them?" Gibbs said sarcastically, dressing quickly in his usual field uniform. His field kit was already together, easy enough to grab and go if he was ever called to a scene from his home.

"Lea and Ulmaria." If Gibbs didn't know any better, he'd say there was a touch of remorse in that voice.

He chose to ignore it. "I'm going to call Ziva," he said instead. "She should be ready by the time we get over there."

"Mind if I raid your fridge?" Replica asked. "I haven't eaten since yesterday and I'm starving."

"Go for it." Gibbs listened until he heard the teen's faint footsteps vanish down the stairs before dialing Ziva's number on his cell phone. She picked up on the second ring.

"Gibbs? Do we have a call?" she asked, voice brisk and professional as usual.

"Of a sort," the man replied. "Get your gear together, I'll meet you at your house in a few minutes."

"Got it. Do I need to call Tony and MgGee?"

"Just you and me on this one, Ziva."

There was a pause. "What sort of a call is this?" she asked cautiously.

"Sora's in trouble and it's up to us to save him. Not enough room on that trip for more than the two of us. And don't shoot when I get there, I'm bringing company."

A disgruntled noise from the other end of the phone line before Ziva voiced her assent. "Fine. Shall I pack some extra ammunition?"

"Whatever you think you'll need. See you in ten."

Gibbs found Replica in his kitchen wolfing down a plate of leftover takeout. "You don't want to heat that up?"

Replica shrugged, gulping the last bite of food. "Don't want to blow up your house. This world has weird stoves. What's a microwave?"

"Nevermind. Want to take your shortcut or you feel like riding the slow route?" Gibbs, kit in hand, went to the door and paused for Replica's answer.

The teen tossed his mess into the trash bin and tugged his gloves back on. "I'll ride with you, why not."

Ziva was sitting on her step when Gibbs pulled up in his car, her kit next to her. Her dark hair was tied back into a ponytail, her dark eyes keen. Her attire was exactly the same as Gibbs': black jacket, black pants, and black baseball cap with the letters "NCIS" proudly in white on the brim.

"Are you certain I cannot shoot him?" she asked when Gibbs and Replica stepped out of the car. Her gaze was cool and unyielding as she regarded the silver-haired teen.

"We need him. Long story short, Sora's back home and he's being accused of murder." Gibbs jerked his head back towards Replica. "This guy here says that murders on the Islands get an automatic death penalty two weeks after arrest."

"It's been two days already," Replica put in. "In case that helps."

"What are we waiting for?" Ziva asked. She and Gibbs looked at Replica expectantly.

"One second," Replica replied, vanishing into a portal of darkness. He returned in less than a minute, two long coats, identical to his, slung over his arm. He shook them out, scrutinizing Gibbs and Ziva for a moment before handing them each a coat. "Looks like you're about Axel's size," he told Ziva. "Always thought he looked like a girl."

"Then this was Ulmaria's," Gibbs said, eying the fabric distastefully.

"He's dead, I'm sorry, let's go," Replica dismissed, pulling his hood up over his head. "Put them on and follow me."

The NCIS agents did as they were instructed. Gibbs found that his assigned coat was a bit too short but fit well otherwise, and it smelled of cherry blossoms. Once they were both ready Replica turned around and held out a hand, a portal of darkness opening around it. Clutching tightly to their kits, they followed the teen into the portal.

Going from overcast weather bordering on rain in one second to nuclear sun in the next was a shock. Gibbs stepped out onto sand and instantly broke out into a full-body sweat. He wasted no time in shedding the black jacket, draping it over his arm and waiting for Replica to say something.

The teen gestured around them. "This is the main island. The police are off that way, you can tell them whatever you'd like. Riku and Kairi have been staying at the jail with Sora, I'm sure they'll take you to the crime scene. The murder happened on the play island. Good luck."

Gibbs, looking around at the normal-looking houses threaded through with sand-dusted walking paths, turned back to Replica at the others' words. "You're not sticking around?"

"I'm sure you can figure out why. Meet me back here tonight and I'll ship whatever you have to Abby. If you're not here, I'll come find you." Replica waved and vanished into a pool of darkness.

Ziva and Gibbs traded glances. "Did he really just strand us here?"

Gibbs sighed. "'This way,' huh?"

"As you say, shall we pound feet?" Ziva asked brightly, striding forwards.

"That's 'beat feet', Ziva," Gibbs corrected automatically.

* * *

The police officer looked them over skeptically, their badges in hand. "So you're detectives from another island that just so happened to be in town when this happened? And you want to clear Sora's name?"

Gibbs was glad that Ziva had remembered Sora telling them, all that time ago, about the major rule of world-hopping. "The borders between the worlds have to be preserved," he'd insisted over a bowl of sea-salt ice cream. They'd gone to the place Lea had found to reminisce, and so they could all taste the odd treat.

Gibbs had shot him a look at that. "So why're you telling us?"

Sora had just grinned. "Who else would believe you?"

"So you just world-hop and tell everyone you're from some far-away place on their world?" Abby had asked, interested.

"Yeah. I'm not supposed to meddle in the affairs of other worlds," and Sora had looked as if he was quoting from memory, "but I can't help but stop and help people, you know?"

Gibbs grinned, remembering how Abby had pounced him from across the table and strewn ice cream everywhere. At the policeman's look he quickly resumed a serious expression. "That's right, officer. I'm certain Sora couldn't have killed Wakka."

"Uh-huh. One second." He vanished inside with their badges, leaving Gibbs and Ziva standing at the door to the jail. A few bystanders whispered behind their hands, which they ignored in favor of more important things.

"Gibbs, that man had a sword on his hip," Ziva said in disbelief. "A sword! What are they thinking?"

Gibbs was more interested in the electric lights dotting the twilit path. "They have electricity and cars, but they still use swords here," he mused. "Really different."

"Despite the fact this is a… foreign land," Ziva continued, "we can understand them! There's no language barrier here, at all, although I have no idea what a paopu is. Why do you think that is?"

Gibbs shrugged. "I'm trying not to think about that. Maybe it's magic?"

"Lightning and ice and fire, oh my," Ziva deadpanned.

"Something like that," a familiar voice replied. Gibbs turned to the door to find a silver-haired teen there, dressed in jeans and a yellow vest. His green eyes were wary but not hostile, a hand covered in something white brushing back a few strands of chin-length hair. "You must be Gibbs. Sora told me about you."

"You must be Riku," Gibs returned, offering his hand. "I heard about what happened and thought I could help."

"And how exactly did you get here?" the teen asked.

"A boy who looks an awful lot like you," Gibbs replied. "Goes by the name Riku Replica, and I can really see why. Can we come in?"

Riku shook his head. "The police are still talking to Sora. He hasn't said much, I think he's in shock."

"What about this play Island of yours?" Ziva asked. "We should look at the crime scene."

"I'll take you. Let me just tell Kairi where I'm going." He vanished back inside.

* * *

"So, my Replica's still alive." Riku didn't seem particularly surprised as he rowed, his face impassive. "I'm sort of glad."

"Why?" Gibbs wanted to know. "I'd be creeped out if someone made a clone of me."

The teen shrugged. "It's not his fault. He was made to think he was me, and then he wanted to be someone else. In the end all he had was my identity and he tried to kill me for it." Riku looked a bit sad. "I just defended myself and ended up killing him instead. It wasn't right."

"He's not dead though," Ziva pointed out. "He said he'd be back tonight to take our evidence back to our world."

"Semantics."

They arrived at the island shortly after, Riku tying the boat to the dock expertly and assisting Ziva up and out. Gibbs clambered out on his own, surveying the scene expertly.

"This way," Riku said, leading them down the beach and towards a shack set into the base of a cliff. The cliff sported its own waterfall, water crashing merrily into a shallow pool at its base. A platform had been built amongst the trees, forming what looked like a city full of tree forts in the branches. Above the beachside shack a bridged snaked out, connecting the shack's roof to a mini-island a few yards from shore. It was under this bridge that Riku led them.

Gibbs eyed the rust-brown sand, the outline of a person created by small rods driven into the sand and tied together with rope like a giant connect-the-dots puzzle. "All right Ziva, you know the drill. Bag and tag everything you can think of."

They worked methodically, hardly needing to speak as they collected bits of everything they could think of. The sun, having set on their way over to the island, was rising over the beach by the time they finished.

Riku had vanished sometime during the night, leaving Gibbs and Ziva alone on the beach. It was a surprise, then, when his voice startled them out of their work. "Finding anything?"

"A lot, but we won't know what it means until we have more info," Gibbs replied, wishing dearly that he had thought to bring some coffee. It'd be long since cold but it would make him feel better, he reasoned. Then he realized that he smelled coffee and turned towards the scent.

"Replica," he said neutrally, eying the black-clothed teen and the Styrofoam cup he held. "Sorry we missed the deadline."

"Eh, no big deal. I'm here, aren't I?" Replica handed the coffee off and stepped back, eying the scene. "Got everything you need?"

"I think so," the elder replied, signing off on the last evidence bag and tucking it into his kit. "Deliver this to Abby and tell her to run the usual tests." Ziva gathered her bags and camera memory cards together and deposited them at Replica's feet before stretching with a groan.

"I could certainly use a nap," she said.

Replica smiled ruefully. "I took the liberty of putting a couple of sleeping bags in the shack. It should be okay for a few hours, right?"

"Heavenly," Ziva agreed.

Gibbs surfaced from his coffee long enough to agree. "I'll meet you in the shack," he told Ziva. "You go on ahead."

Ziva entered the shack without complaint, leaving Replica and Gibbs alone on the beach. The elder turned towards the teen. "Thanks for the coffee. Incidentally, what do you call yourself? I've just been calling you Replica."

The other shrugged. "I haven't thought about it. I haven't needed a name, I don't talk with people much. You can just call me Replica if you want."

Gibbs held back a snort, instead reaching into his pocket for his notebook. He hastily scribbled a note and slipped it into the evidence bags. "All right, Replica. Tell Abby to look at that note while her tests are running, I know they'll take several hours."

Replica was obviously interested in the note but chose not to read it. He gathered the evidence in his hands and nodded. "Sleep well."

* * *

One morning of blissful sleep later Gibbs and Ziva were once again at the police station, once again facing down the policeman from before. They reclaimed their badges while the officer smiled apologetically.

"Sorry about that. It's hard to be sure of anything what with the situation lately. Sure is hard to believe that Sora would kill anyone, he's such a nice kid." The officer shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "Guess everyone has their breaking point. You shoulda seen him when we tried to arrest him! Stood still as stone in the shallows just staring at the sun for hours. Thought it'd be easy, right? Then when our guys grab him, he flies off the handle. They're in the hospital with broken bones while he's sitting here quiet as a puppy."

"I'd really like to talk with him," Gibbs said. "I need to hear his side of the story, and a list of everyone who's involved. Anyone who would have motives, anyone who knew Sora or Wakka."

"I'll get that for you while you talk to Sora," the officer nodded. "Good luck, though. He's hardly said two words since he woke up in our cell. We had officers talking to him all day yesterday and he didn't say anything."

"What about his friends?" Gibbs asked.

"They haven't been allowed to see him. Don't want to taint his testimony. You're investigating this, though, so you're allowed." He waved them inside and led them through a roomy interior, uniformed officers moving with purpose, still sporting the weird mix of weapons from before. In addition to swords there were guns and even some balls that looked like volleyballs, as well as a variety of staves and – Gibbs had to look twice – even bubble straws.

"Welcome to the Twilight Zone," Ziva whispered.

They passed the office areas and went underground, sand leaking from cracks in the floorboards to cover the stone floor. Despite the perfect setup for an underground dungeon the cells were clean and organized, the walls paneled with wood and a few paintings on the walls facing them for flavor. The floor was polished, shining through the thin coating of dust. Windows high in the walls let in some natural light, supplemented by warmly glowing overhead lights.

"He's in the last cell. Good luck. I'll get that list while you're talking."

Gibbs and Ziva traded looks. "I'll go with him," Ziva decided. "Sora doesn't know me very well and he talked to you more than anything."

Gibbs nodded, setting off down the row of cells. They were mostly empty, the occasional rumpled figure smelling of alcohol or sporting weapon-shaped bruises on their foreheads glaring out at him. A particularly underdressed woman leered at him suggestively.

Finally he reached his goal, staring sadly at the boy curled up as far into the corner as he could press himself. Sora's eyes were open but weren't seeing anything, blankly staring somewhere into the space in front of him, and his normally gravity-defying spikes were sagging around his ears.

"Sora?" Gibbs asked, stepping up to the bars. "Sora, you okay?"

Vacant blue eyes flickered towards him for a mere moment before returning to their previous position.

"Come on, Sora, say something. Tell me what really happened on that beach. I know you couldn't have killed your friend."

At the word "killed" Sora flinched, eyes closing. His next breath was just the slightest bit uneven, but after a moment he'd returned to his previous position.

"Sora, you have to say something. If you don't, you know what'll happen."

No response. Gibbs growled, shaking the bars in frustration. "Come on! Don't just roll over and accept responsibility for something you didn't do. Fight!"

Sora just sat there, arms wrapped tightly around his legs. Gibbs closed his eyes and rested his head against the bars, thinking.

"I'll be right back," he promised before retracing his steps. He found the officer in charge of guarding the cellblock and planted himself in front of her, menacing scowl planted on his face.

"What can I help you with, Agent Gibbs?" the woman asked, sword strapped to her back and making a mess of her ponytail. She was filling out some paper work and didn't look up.

"I need to take Sora for a walk," Gibbs stated.

"No can do, sir. He's the prime suspect in Wakka's murder and he's a flight risk. He has to stay rooted in that cell until the police finish investigating." She signed a form and flipped it over, starting on the next one.

"Sora is currently catatonic and can't assist in his own defense," Gibbs growled. "Let me take him for a walk. I won't leave the grounds with him."

"That can't happen, sir." She tossed her head, freeing her ponytail, and kept working on the form. Gibbs leaned down until he was at her eye level, waiting until she looked up to peg her with his best withering glare.

Two minutes later Gibbs was unlocking Sora's cell and dragging the boy upright. "Come on. You can't stay like this forever."

Sora didn't resist as he was dragged upstairs and through the station. Gibbs only paused to ask where officers practiced swordfighting. Once there, he planted Sora in the middle of the arena, glaring the pair sparring out of the way.

"Stay there," he instructed the brunette, turning without waiting to see if Sora would obey or not. The practice arena was circular in shape, the station apparently built around it. Racks of weapons were built into the station walls and dummies were set up in a rough circle around the sparring area in the center. Officers in various states of dress were scattered around the area, all looking at Gibbs and Sora with interest.

Gibbs found the rack with wooden weapons and selected two, a sword for Sora and a dagger for himself. Thus armed he marched back to the arena and tossed the sword towards the teen. Without blinking it was caught, Sora standing with it held loosely in his hand. Whispering started up then, the officers wondering none-too-quietly what Gibbs had in mind. Their curiosity was satisfied when Gibbs took a swipe at Sora, his wooden dagger easily deflected.

"Come on, Sora, do something," Gibbs taunted, feinting left and striking right. His attack was easily thwarted, the Keyblade Master moving swiftly to counter. He didn't move otherwise, just stared at the ground at Gibbs' feet. The NCIS agent stepped back, frowning.

"What happened, Sora?" he demanded, voice a bit louder than he meant for it to be. He went back on the attack, his combat training still as fresh as his days in the armed forces, and with every blocked attack he stopped pretending a bit less. "Tell me what happened, Sora! What happened with Wakka?"

Sora suddenly went on the attack, wooden sword blurring through the air as blows rained down on Gibbs. The elder was forced on the defensive, struggling to keep up with the onslaught. This was a reaction, however violent it was, and Gibbs wasn't about to let up.

"Why were you on the beach with Wakka, Sora? You have to tell me!" Gibbs insisted between blows.

Sora's blade suddenly wasn't wooden anymore, the Keyblade appearing in his hand. Unlike its previous appearance this Keyblade was black, like wrought-iron. Jagged spikes curled out from the end to form the key shape.

Gibbs' dagger shattered on the first blow and with a swear he rolled clear, on his feet again in an instant. A nearby officer tossed him a real sword just in time for him to block a blow meant for his head.

"Is this what happened, Sora?" Gibbs taunted. "Did you lose your senses just like this? Did you turn on Wakka and attack him? What did he say to make you turn on him? Why'd you kill him?"

"I didn't!" Sora shouted, bringing his Keyblade in an overhead strike. Gibbs managed to catch it on the flat of his blade, a grin sneaking onto his face.

"Then what happened?" he demanded relentlessly, bracing himself. Sora put his weight into his blade, attempting to force Gibbs backwards. His eyes were finally focused and angry, shining with the light of unshed tears.

"I don't know," was the reply, Sora shaking his head. Gibbs took advantage of the distraction and threw his opponent off, backing off a few steps. Sora didn't let him rest, launching back on the offensive with a determined glare. "One minute I'm talking to him at his house, and the next I'm waking up covered in his blood! I don't know what happened. What if I really did kill him?"

"You have to remember," Gibbs insisted. He weathered the blows easily, ducking aside at the last strike and landing his first blow on Sora's torso with the flat of his blade. The teen grunted, falling back a few steps. "Why would you kill your friend? You couldn't kill anybody!"

"But I did kill people!" Sora insisted. "You know, don't you, what I did to the Organization? I killed them all, even the ones who were just doing their jobs. I'm no better than Riku Replica!"

Gibbs ignored the gasps that the name elicited. "Sora, it's not murder if they're trying to kill you first. You told me how each of them died, remember? It seems as if all your encounters with them had them trying to kill you first. That's a special exception to the rules, called self defense!"

Sora stopped, Keyblade falling until it was nearly level with the ground. "Really?"

"Yes, really! You're not at fault for their deaths, Sora, just like I know you couldn't have killed Wakka. So just tell me what happened, okay?"

Sora fell to his knees, Keyblade vanishing in a flash of light. The tears finally fell, his breath hitching in his throat. Gibbs tossed the sword aside and knelt next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Sora. Let's get back inside, and now you can tell me everything, okay?"

* * *

It took two hours, several cups of tea, and lots of tissues, but Sora finally was able to tell his side of the story. Under the close supervision of the officer in charge of Sora's case, the teen recounted the night of the murder to the best of his ability.

"Me and Wakka were practicing Blitzball," he started once his first round of tears had ebbed. "It was supposed to be a group practice, us and Riku, Kairi, Selphie, and Tidus, but none of them could make it. We were playing one on one in the waves and were having a great time.

"Things get blurry after that. I think I saw someone else on the beach, and then nothing. I woke up the next morning face-to-face with Wakka." Sora had to stop there for a long while, Gibbs waiting patiently for him to regain control while the officers whispered behind their hands. "I was- I was covered in his blood, it soaked my clothes and hair."

"Why'd you go into the ocean?" the officer asked. "Why'd you attack the officers who tried to arrest you?"

"The ocean washed away some of the blood," Sora replied. His hands were shaking around his nth cup of tea, his eyes focused on the liquid within. "And… I felt so cold, and the sun was so warm. I thought that maybe if I could stay in the sun, I could ignore that Wakka…" He swallowed, hard. "The officers startled me, I just reacted. I'm sorry about that."

The officer nodded. "Still, there's only your word that your version of events is what happened. Until we get evidence to the contrary, we still have to hold you as a suspect."

"I understand," the teen nodded. He allowed himself to be led off to the holding cell, though he managed a small smile for Gibbs. The elder man watched him walk off.

"It seems like even his spikes have perked up," he commented to himself. He went in search of the officer who had greeted him and Ziva at the door.

"She took the lists you requested and went off on her own," the officer reported. "She said to tell you that she'll be back by sundown and you should wait for your contact until then."

* * *

Gibbs was offered a cot in the police station once the sun went down with no sign of Ziva. He took it gratefully, his few hours of sleep that morning not nearly enough. He kept his hand on his gun under his pillow, unable to fall asleep despite the fatigue settled into his bones. He was suddenly struck by the fact that he was in another world, that he'd taken off without so much as letting anyone know. He hoped he still had a job when he got back.

He thought back on a few training sessions he'd watched, quizzing everyone about the wide variety of weaponry he'd seen around the station. Apparently, he'd learned, the Destiny Islands were an island chain made up of hundreds of small islands, each one with its own manner of fighting. When technology had advanced and the Islands mingled, the fighting styles had become the only manner of knowing who had come from where. A variety of styles were encouraged as a result and the police force was well-balanced.

And the magic. That was something Gibbs still had trouble wrapping his brain around, despite the evidence he'd witnessed throughout the day. There were so many more types of magic than he'd seen Sora use all that time ago, support and healing and combat and noncombat.

It was no wonder, he reflected, that he couldn't fall asleep.

The door opened and he turned his head to see the arrival. "Ziva," he greeted, sitting up. "Find out anything?"

"Kairi showed me every nook and cranny of this place," the Mossad officer said, flopping onto the cot next to Gibbs'. "I interviewed everyone, took photographs of everything I could think of. I have been to Wakka's house, Sora's house, and Riku's house, and I have turned up nothing."

"I got beat up by Sora," Gibbs offered.

"You got off easily," Ziva scoffed. "This place is nonsensical. There were people floating in the air, Gibbs! They were practicing Wind Magic and they were floating up in the air. I was staring at them for ten minutes, making sure I wasn't just seeing things."

Gibbs had to give her that. "So we're no closer to exonerating Sora than before."

"Exactly. I hope Replica comes back with some good news."

* * *

They slept soundly through the night, waking with the rest of the officers on the morning shift. They were shown to the (coed) showers, which they made grateful use of, before finding their way to the cafeteria and inhaling the strange fruits and vegetables.

"So this is a paopu," Ziva commented. She held up the star-shaped fruit dubiously, watching how it wiggled with her movements. "Want to try it, Gibbs?"

"Sure, chop me off a piece." Gibbs was practically worshipping the coffee, reveling in the deep-bodied flavor. He was already on his third cup.

"There's a story behind that fruit," a familiar voice greeted them. It sounded like Riku, but when Gibbs turned around he found a stranger wearing Riku Replica's black coat. Replica had gotten a makeover, his silver hair streaked with green. He was wearing ripped blue jeans, a green t-shirt, and a tattered denim vest that had all sorts of designs inked into it. His left ear sported a silver stud and he couldn't have looked happier.

"Oh really?" Gibbs asked casually. "What is it?"

"They say that whenever two people share a paopu fruit, their destinies are forever intertwined." Replica slid into the seat next to Gibbs and grinned. "Poetic, don't you think?"

"Indeed." Ziva glanced around the room. "I thought you were more interested in staying hidden."

"From Sora, yes," Replica shrugged. "Thanks to Abby, I don't have to worry about it in general. Oh! She gave me a new name, too. A real name, just for me. You can call me Abyss from now on."

"Abyss? How'd she get that?" Gibbs asked.

"To quote her, I'm 'deep and mysterious'. Plus she wanted to see if just any noun would work as a name." Abyss grinned. "She's a bit crazy, don't you think?"

* * *

Feel free to leave a comment if you'd like! The last part will be popping up in a few days. See you then!


	2. Chapter 2

It's time for the end! I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter. With any luck, this won't disappoint.

I forgot to put it in the first chapter, but thanks to my betas for this, Eria and Lizeth. Without them this bit wouldn't be here, so be sure to send them many thanks.

Not much else to say, so onwards!

Warnings and disclaimer are the same as in the first chapter.

* * *

After breakfast Abyss produced a stack of papers from his coat, which Gibbs and Ziva pored over in an unused corner of the police station. "None of the DNA samples at the scene match Sora," Ziva summed up, setting that stack aside. "All of the blood on the beach matches the same person, and we can only assume that Wakka is the source. The sand appears to not have been tampered with, it is consistent with the surrounding area… oh, she marked something here." She handed the report to Gibbs. "There were unusual minerals in the sand under where Wakka was. The rest of the sand was soaked in salt water, but there was no salt under Wakka so far as she could tell. The water was consistent with fresh water like that we retrieved from the waterfall."

Gibbs skimmed the report. "That doesn't tell us much. The amount of blood indicates that Wakka was killed where he was. Why would there be fresh water right by the ocean?"

"Maybe the culprit used water magic to incapacitate him?" Ziva said thoughtfully. "Sora does not know water magic, he knows ice."

"That's another point in his favor. We need to see his body," Gibbs groused. At Ziva's blank look he sighed. "Wakka's body, the victim's. At least, we need to see the coroner's report. "

* * *

The beach was packed, bodies pressed against each other in the bright sun. The only part of the beach that was clear held a small rowboat, two people tearfully standing over it. Gibbs and Ziva arrived at the scene, hats off and suitably respectful, and watched Wakka's funeral.

It was a simple affair. The body had already been prepared and dressed, the youth seemingly sleeping at the bottom of the rowboat. The two that could only be his parents said a few words about how much they missed Wakka, how they knew he was in a better place. That done, they placed a few objects in the boat to send off with him, a blitzball and a few items of food and water.

The last part of the funeral had the assembled mourners singing a song Gibbs and Ziva could only listen to, a song in a tongue they didn't understand but was probably symbolic. Its beat was slow and maudlin, bringing to mind Auld Lang Sine or a much downer version of It's a Small World. Wakka's parents fastened a tarp over the boat while the music washed over them. The tide had come in while the proceedings had gone on and it didn't take much to push the boat into the waves.

The song wrapped up as the boat vanished into the horizon. As if on a cue Gibbs and Ziva didn't get the assembled crowd dispersed, leaving the two of them alone on the beach with grieving parents.

Ziva had already interviewed them the day before. There was nothing left to do but leave.

* * *

Their luck held when they visited the coroner. The coroner had done a full autopsy to the Island's standards and was more than happy to share his findings.

"Don't know how that will help you," the short man shrugged. He barely reached Gibbs' middle, standing on a platform to reach the bodies he took apart and put back together. He had the proportions of an adult male, though, looking just like a man who had happened upon a sort of shrinking spell rather than the dwarves of Gibbs' world. His blonde hair was tied back with a red bandana, his blue eyes clear as the sea they'd just visited. His lack of height or reach didn't deter him in the slightest, hopping from ladder to stairs without hesitation.

Gibbs flipped through the report. Ducky was going to have some choice words about the Islands' method of autopsying but otherwise it looked complete. "You think Sora's guilty?"

The coroner shrugged. "My findings were consistent with the police's theory. Wakka died of blood loss due to his throat being ripped open. The wound looked to be caused by a sort of knife. There were marks on his body consistent with a friendly game of blitzball, nothing to indicate that he was held down or tortured. My guess? Sora pulled a knife and got him after they were getting ready to go."

"Did you keep Wakka's clothes?" Ziva asked.

"Sure, they're in a bin in the corner with his name on it. I was getting ready to incinerate them, but if you think they can help Sora they're yours."

"You don't want Sora to die, then," Gibbs noted.

"Certainly not! Someone has to be punished for the crime but not Sora. Ever since he came back he's been the model citizen. He helps anyone who asks and settled disputes with that odd weapon of his. Though…" And here the coroner hesitated. After a moment where he seemed to be wrestling with something in his head he nodded, then ascended the tallest stair in the room and retrieved a box full of spheres from the top shelf of a dusty bookcase. He fished through them and handed a few to Ziva and Gibbs.

"What're these?" Gibbs asked, looking at the glass spheres curiously. If he peered into them he thought he could make out pictures flickering within them.

"Recordings. When I'm not taking care of the deceased I like to go around town interviewing people, I work on the newspaper too. A few people didn't like Sora after he got back."

"What do you mean?" Ziva asked, curious.

The coroner waved them towards a screen in the corner, a circular depression in its base. "See for yourself."

* * *

"Those Keyblades of his, they're freakish! A weapon that can unlock anything? What's to say he won't just barge into our homes when he feels like it?"

"Him and Riku, they're unnatural. They're just kids, but when you look at them, you can see it in their eyes. They've killed people and they've seen too much. I think they should've stayed wherever they went and not come back!"

"Two boys like them shouldn't be hanging around such a sweet girl as Kairi. Mark my words, she's going to be gallivanting off next and come back a freak. They should have just stayed gone."

Gibbs and Ziva sorted through dozens of recordings just like those, wincing at a few particularly heated sentiments. One of them, though, stood out amongst the rest.

A blonde man with a mullet glared at the screen, his blue eyes hard and cold. "Sora, Riku, and Kairi? What about them? They're just hacks that couldn't beat anyone in a fair fight. Something should be done about them before they kill someone else."

Gibbs froze the image on the screen before calling for the coroner. "Who's this?"

The coroner peered at the boy thoughtfully. "You know, I don't know. He showed up before Sora and Riku came home. He's a natural with water spells, though, almost like he's a water elemental."

"And what is that?" Ziva asked.

"An elemental is a person who doesn't need spells to control his chosen element. He just moves and his element reacts. Those are really rare, though, only one in every couple of thousand people. For all of the Islands I'd say there are maybe five. This kid, if he were an elemental, he'd have been made famous."

"I see. Thanks for your help." Gibbs and Ziva kept a few choice spheres and left the coroner in peace.

* * *

Abyss was waiting for them at the police station, in the room that had unofficially become theirs. "Any luck?"

"No other suspects, but we did gather more evidence." Gibbs handed him the bag with Wakka's clothes and the coroner's report. "The first goes to Abby and the second goes to Ducky."

"Got it," Abyss said cheerfully. "I'll be off, then. Need anything from home while you're waiting?"

"Some of what you had," Ziva commented. "You are… bouncy."

The teen scowled, even as his fingers tapped out an impatient beat on his elbow. "Am not."

"You've been hanging out with Abby, haven't you?" Gibbs asked.

"She has this awesome drink," Abyss agreed. "It's red and sweet and whenever I drink it I feel like I could stay up all night."

"Uh-huh. I'd lay off it if I were you," Gibbs advised.

Abyss waved his hand impatiently. "Do you guys need anything from your houses before I go?"

"A change of clothes," Ziva said immediately, sniffing at her shirt and making a face.

"Same," Gibbs agreed wholeheartedly.

"See you in a few, then." Abyss vanished into his portal.

There were a few knocks on the door before the officer in charge of Sora's investigation entered. "Any luck today?" he asked after they exchanged greetings.

"We collected some evidence, it's being analyzed back home. We may have another suspect as well." Gibbs located the right sphere and handed it off to the officer. "This young man had some very interesting things to say about Sora. We have reason to believe that someone using water spells was responsible for Wakka's death, and according to your coroner, this young man is very talented with water spells. You should talk to him."

The officer winced. "You're not going to want to hear this, then. Sora's set to be executed in two days."

"I thought we had another week!" Ziva objected.

"Investigations can last up to two weeks," the officer said. "Often, the culprit is identified within days. We've only held off this long because we like the kid, but the facts are that there's no other credible evidence indicating otherwise. I hope you can pull something out of your hat tomorrow, because otherwise…" The officer shrugged. "Sorry you two came all the way here for nothing. You can stay until after if you'd like."

"We'll have our report in the morning," Gibbs promised. "I won't let Sora die."

The officer took the sphere anyway and left them in peace. Not a moment later Abyss returned, two bundles of clothes in his arms. "Here you go," he announced, dumping the bundles unceremoniously on the floor. "Abby said she'll have those clothes analyzed by tomorrow, and Ducky should be waking up soon. He, ah…" Abyss looked slightly ashamed. "He didn't expect me to show up at his house."

Gibbs sorted out his clothes from Ziva's and let her head for the showers first. Abyss didn't leave immediately, instead looking at the notes the two investigators had scattered around the area. In the silence that ensued the elder ran scenarios through his head, trying to find some way to clear Sora. That led him back to his first encounter with the teen, the fantasy battle between Sora and Abyss that had left both in the hospital for weeks.

"Abyss," Gibbs began, waiting until the one so named looked up from an interview transcript. "Why're you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Abyss asked, though he looked away from Gibbs and back down at the paper in his hands. He wasn't reading it, though, the NCIS agent could tell.

"Helping Sora. You wanted him dead before, so I'd think that you'd be quite happy to let him be executed. What's changed?"

Abyss put the paper down, standing and going to the window. He gazed out at the palm trees rustling in the gentle wind, an unreadable expression on his face. He was silent for a good few minutes, during which Gibbs waited patiently.

"When I tried to kill Sora before," the teen finally started, "I was still thinking of myself as a failed replica. I wanted so badly to do something right, and I was so angry. Why couldn't I be the original? What did I do wrong?" He hung his head. "I have most of Riku's memories, but I'm really only two years old. I was being childish.

"I decided, after hanging out in Traverse Town for a while, that I should do something productive. I went to stop the Organization but someone had beat me to it. I got angry again, felt useless, until I realized something."

"You realized that the Nobodies weren't dead," Gibbs guessed.

Abyss nodded. "I knew that Sora wouldn't know. He'd think that they were dead and gone. I was still so angry, though, and I wanted to do something useful so badly that I rationalized killing the Organization again. Nobodies got the memories of their Somebodies, after all; who's to say that the reverse wasn't true? So I went from world to world, searching for any sign of them."

"How many of them did you end up killing?" Gibbs asked.

"Just Lea and Ulmaria. They're the first two I found. Well…" And Abyss thought back. "Back in Castle Oblivion, I think I killed Zexion permanently. I absorbed his powers of illusion and I haven't found him again. He could be alive, but I doubt it."

"He was still a Nobody then, right?"

"Right, he was trying to hurt Namine. I couldn't let that happen." Abyss turned from the window and finally looked at Gibbs. "I hadn't planned on hurting Sora that time. But then I saw him, and I was still so angry, I could only see Roxas in him. Roxas was the Organization's key to everything, they needed his Keyblade. That's why I attacked Sora before."

"Obviously you've changed your mind," Gibbs noted. "Why?"

Abyss chuckled. "I had lots of time to think in the hospital. Had several cops talking to me and about me, and I realized that I was being an idiot. I had fifteen years of memories to draw on and I was only acting on the last two. That's why I decided to actually go out and help people. I've been going from world to world looking for Heartless or Nobodies, saving people and just generally doing good. I can't change the fact that I killed Lea and Ulmaria, but I could make sure no one else got hurt."

Gibbs nodded, satisfied. "You do know that if you come back to my world and get caught you'll be executed."

"They can try. I'm a Nobody, remember? If I die I'll just wake up somewhere else." And Abyss looked a bit sad at that. "Wonder if I'll get older."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Abyss wanted to know as Gibbs led him through the quiet police station. It was later that night and most of the police officers had either crashed on cots or had gone home. The NCIS agent was silent as they walked. He'd taken his shower and changed into the clothes Abyss had brought for him, a pair of old jeans and a light blue dress shirt.

Their destination wasn't a mystery for very long, the stairs leading to the cells coming into view. Abyss stopped short, Gibbs following suit shortly.

"I can't see him," the teen said flatly. "He doesn't want to see me, and I don't want him to be angry when he goes."

"He won't be angry," Gibbs promised. "You should settle things with him, just in case. We'll save him, but what if we can't? You'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Abyss gnawed his lip uncertainly. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I'll be right behind you."

Gibbs let Abyss take the lead, nodding at the guard at the base of the stairs as he trailed behind a few paces.

Abyss paused before the last cell, taking a few deep breaths. He glanced back at Gibbs and received a reassuring nod in response.

Sora glared at him from the inside of his cell. "Riku Replica, right?"

"My name's Abyss," the green-streaked teen introduced. "But yeah, I was him."

"What do you want?" the brunette challenged. "You here to gloat?"

"He's the one that brought me and Ziva here," Gibbs put in, stepping into Sora's view. "He's trying to help us clear your name."

Abyss nodded. "And I wanted to apologize for what I did before. You're not just Roxas, and I'm sorry for trying to kill you."

Sora looked a bit less murderous, but he still obviously wasn't convinced. "And what about Lea and Ulmaria? How do you plan on apologizing for them?"

Abyss chuckled. "I'm two years old and was a bit crazy. But really, there's no way to apologize. I'll live with what I did to them forever, but I can't let that rule me. I have to move on. And I wanted to make sure that you know that I'm going to try and help from now on."

Gibbs snuck away while they were talking. He figured that what went on was between them and he had no business eavesdropping.

* * *

Gibbs woke up to Abyss poking him in the shoulder. "Gibbs, wake up! Abby has some good news!"

"Too early," Ziva groaned, turning over and burying her head in her pillow. She said a few choice words in some of the other languages she knew, words that sounded scathing and impolite.

Gibbs shared the sentiments but withheld his remarks. Instead he propped himself up, checking the time and then Abyss' excited demeanor. "Did you get into the Caf Pow again?"

Abyss waved his hand dismissively, thrusting a report under his nose. "Abby ran those tests and she said that you're right about the water. Wakka was soaked with freshwater from the waterfall!"

"Uh-huh. How does that prove Sora's not guilty?"

Another report appeared. "Ducky's analysis of the coroner's report. He thinks that Wakka was immobilized while he was killed. There was evidence of water in Wakka's lungs which the coroner chalked up to them just getting out of playing Blitzball. Unskilled players do inhale a bit of water at times, but Wakka was going pro. He'd be able to hold his breath easily."

Gibbs nodded. "I think this is definitely enough for reasonable doubt. Thanks, Abyss."

* * *

The officers stared at Gibbs and Ziva expectantly. "You have new evidence?" the head officer asked.

Gibbs nodded, passing around the reports and indicating the papers he'd pinned to the wall. They were in a meeting room just off the practice range, sounds of sparring filtering through the shut windows. The sun had just barely risen and everyone looked a bit sleepy, but all gazes were alert and focused.

"Our analysis of the crime scene indicates that the killer was standing here when he attacked Wakka," Gibbs began, indicating an enlarged photo of the scene. He traced the bloodstain, emphasizing a curved void at the edge of it. "Wakka's body was found here," and he pointed at the stakes in the ground, "and Sora claims he woke up here." He pointed to the far edge of the bloodstain. "Judging by the blood spatter patterns, Sora can't have killed him. There's a void here right where the killer should be."

"What if Sora killed him, then fell asleep where we found him?" one of the officers challenged.

Gibbs pointed to the official investigation folder provided by the officers. "Based on the description of the blood covering Sora, I'd say he was lying down. He was covered only on one side with blood. If he'd been standing in front of Wakka his front would be soaked while his back would be clear. This indicates that his left torso, front, and back were covered while his right side was clear."

"Based on this, it would seem that Sora was unconscious at the time of the murder. He was lying down on his right side in the sand," Ziva concluded for the benefit of the officers.

There were a few grumbles around the room. Gibbs pretended not to notice, moving on to the next piece of evidence.

"Analysis of Wakka's clothes indicates that he was soaked in fresh water. Why would he be soaked in fresh water when he'd just come out of the ocean? Somehow, water was used to immobilize him."

"And how can you prove that?" one of the officers asked skeptically.

"I had my coroner look over the autopsy report. Wakka was an experienced Blitzball player, so why would he have water in his lungs? The only thing that makes sense is that he inhaled some of the water used to immobilize him. There's no way to tell now if it was salt water or fresh, but it makes sense, right?"

A general murmur of agreement.

"Sora could have used a water spell," a voice from the back of the room offered.

Ziva shook her head at that. "I have seen Sora use magic before. He is a skilled wielder of ice, but I have not seen him use water. You have interviewed his friends, yes? They will say that he cannot use water magic."

Agreement.

"So. Our theory of the crime is that Sora was knocked out. There was an injury on his head that you all chalked up to a Blitzball injury, but we think that the killer knocked Sora out. With Sora out of the way our killer used the water from the waterfall to imprison Wakka. There would have been no way for Wakka to have fought back while our killer sliced his throat. After Wakka was dead our killer took his murder weapon with him, leaving Sora to wake up in the morning next to his dead friend." Gibbs put down his folder and looked every one of the officers in the eye. "Is this enough to get his execution canceled?"

The officers were looking through the folders, tracing the information there. The head officer looked up after a moment, confusion written on his face. "I don't understand any of this. Your pictures are clear but what's a mass spectrometer?"

Ziva raised her hand like she wanted to plant her face into it, but held off at the last second. "You do not have them?"

Heads shook around the room.

"They analyze a material's basic chemical makeup. It can tell the difference between fresh water and salt water, for example," Gibbs explained.

There were still uncertain looks around the room. Gibbs suppressed a sigh.

"Ignore the mass spectrometer, then," he ordered. "Does our theory of the crime make sense?"

A few nods. "Do you have another suspect, then?"

Ziva produced a photo of the unknown blonde and passed it around. "This young man is a water spell specialist who said very suspicious things about Sora not too long ago. Based on our evidence, this young man at least needs to be talked to."

The photo was scrutinized carefully. Gibbs let them think things over for a minute before asking, "Well?"

"We will let you know," the head officer said. He, at least, looked convinced. "We have to take this to our superiors and let them look at it."

Gibbs nodded. "We'll be around."

* * *

Sora was permitted to see his friends and family that day. They were led to a room near the front of the complex. Guards were posted at the window and door, but they otherwise weren't bothered.

Gibbs didn't invite himself into the room. He hadn't known Sora as long as Riku and Kairi and he didn't think Sora's parents would be happy with him in the room. Instead he hung out around the practice area, taking notes on the different weapons he saw. Ziva vanished into town, expressing interest in a small boutique she'd seen while interviewing Riku.

The bubble straws interested Gibbs particularly. He investigated and found that they were made on a rather small island, just simple wooden tubes with a water spell ingrained into the wood. Their users were mostly spell casters, though there was one woman who could create bubbles large enough to trap her enemies.

He was watching a swordman facing off against a whip user when the officer in charge of Sora's case sat next to him. "I have good news and bad news."

"Give me the bad news first," Gibbs sighed.

"Sora's still going to be executed."

Somehow, Gibbs hadn't expected anything different. "What's the good news?"

"Our supervisors aren't convinced, but we are. There's nothing to say that we can't keep Sora in our custody. He has a weapon that can unlock anything, after all."

Gibbs nodded. "Of course. And he has a friend that can travel anywhere instantly."

"Right." The officer shrugged, scuffing the grass with his foot. "I'm sorry."

"You did your best and that's all we can ask. Are you going to look into that blonde?"

"No one seems to know who he is," the officer admitted. "He's a talented water spell user but he comes and goes. By the time anyone thinks to ask his name he's already gone. It's a bit like Sora, actually, except Sora's lived here all his life. We know who he is."

Gibbs nodded. "So you're going to let everyone else think Sora killed Wakka."

"The family has to have some peace, and people need to know that the killer's been caught. It's unfortunate, but too many of us think Sora did it. Those few of us who know otherwise can't change their minds." The officer hung his head and sighed. "I just thought I should warn you. Talk to Sora and that friend of his that looks like Riku, the one with the portals. See if you can't get them to figure something out."

"Thanks for the warning."

* * *

Sora shook his head. "I'm not leaving."

Gibbs tried very hard not to do something involving great amounts of pain. "Sora, you're innocent. You shouldn't let yourself be killed for this."

"I don't remember anything, I could have killed him." He certainly looked guilty enough. "I'll be able to choose how to go, at least. I can manage something."

Abyss scowled. He was in a corner of the room as far from Riku as he could get. Riku, for his part, was ignoring his replica, focused instead on his suicidal friend. Kairi was seated next to Sora, a comforting hand on his arm.

"And what's your plan?" the replica asked, running a hand through his green-streaked hair. "Unlike me, when you die, you're dead. I don't want you to be dead, Sora! I didn't bring Gibbs and Ziva here just to watch you die."

Sora shrunk in on himself. "Wakka's dead," he said miserably. "I feel responsible. I'm not leaving."

"It's your choice," Gibbs sighed, standing and brushing off his pants. "I hope you have some kind of plan, because I don't like feeling like watching a kid get killed."

The brunette managed a small, sneaky grin. "I have a bit of a plan, but I'm not saying anything. Don't want them choosing how to kill me."

Abyss growled. "Damnit, Sora, don't make me kidnap you."

"I won't let you," Sora shot back.

* * *

"For the crime of murder, you, Sora, have been sentenced to death," a solemn woman proclaimed. She wore black robes which absorbed the early morning sun. Her brown hair was tied back with a black ribbon that caught the light wind. Around her were others in black robes, standing atop a wooden platform three feet off the ground. Sora was on the ground in front of her, hands chained in front of him and tied to a post driven into the earth.

Gibbs was one of the few people allowed into the execution grounds, a part of the police station very rarely visited and buried at the back of the compound. Facing the judges' stand, the wooden bleachers only held ten people and granted their occupants perfect views of the ground. Ziva sat next to him, hands clenched in her lap, while on the tier below him was Riku, Kairi, and Sora's parents. The very bottom row was Wakka's parents, the pair grim-faced with reddened eyes. Sora's parents weren't in any better shape, clinging to each other and Riku and Kairi and unable to help their tears.

Sora nodded, face unreadable. "I understand," he said gravely.

"Do you have any last words?" the woman judge asked him.

The brunette turned towards Wakka's parents. "I don't know what happened. I don't know if I killed him. If I am, I'm sorry. If I didn't, I hope you find who did."

His statement was met with silence. After a moment he sighed, turning back towards the judges.

"That's all I had to say."

The woman nodded. "Have you chosen how you'd like to die?"

Sora's mother sobbed just a little bit louder.

The teen nodded. "Yes. I'll take my own life with my Keyblade." He held up his bound hands. "If I could be untied, that is."

The judges whispered among themselves before the head woman nodded. A police officer came out and unchained Sora. He rubbed his red wrists for a second before bowing his head and taking a deep breath, Keyblade appearing in his hand.

Ziva gripped Gibbs' arm.

The field was silent save for sobbing and the odd tropical birdsong. Sora raised the black Keyblade and reversed it, the pronged end pointing at his chest. He stood like that for a moment, Keyblade poised, as if he was waiting for something.

Gibbs wanted something to happen. He wanted someone to burst in and exclaim that everything was a mistake, that Sora was free to go. He wanted something to explode and distract everyone so that Sora could live, just a little bit longer.

The birds chirped, one alighting on the building just over the judges' head. It looked the scene over quizzically for just a moment before taking off again.

Sora closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks. It only took one quick motion and the Keyblade was in his chest directly above his heart. Everyone but Gibbs winced.

Face pained, Sora managed to twist the Keyblade, then jerked it out. A red light floated out of his chest and up into the morning light, and the teen staggered backwards. He opened his eyes and smiled at his friends and family through his tears.

"Stop!" a voice echoed through the field. Abyss leaped in from above, a figure bound and gagged in tow, and skidded to a stop before the judge, black coat billowing ominously around him. "Stop, Sora's innocent! I have the culprit right here!"

Gibbs looked closer at the figure and recognized the blonde hair, the cold blue eyes. "So I see," he said, barely restraining his anger. "A few moments too late."

Abyss turned and saw Sora, saw the way the brunette had started to glow, lights drifting upwards off his form. The replica looked stricken, blonde falling from his slack fingers. "No," he whispered, face twisting in despair. "No, this can't happen!"

Sora smiled, tears no longer streaming down his face. He looked rather serene, his eyes falling closed. Abyss reached for him, fingers passing through where his arms should have been. "Sora, you can't die! You just can't!"

Sora's mother's sobbing pitched itself just a bit higher.

With a smile Sora vanished into wisps of light. Abyss fell to his knees screaming in rage, pounding the earth where the other teen had stood just a moment before. Kairi went to him, kneeling next to him and letting him turn his grief into her shoulder.

Gibbs was the next to the floor, hauling the blonde to his feet and removing his gag. The blonde glared at him, lips pressed together.

"So, why'd you do it?" he snarled. "Why'd you get Sora killed? What'd he ever do to you?"

"Yeah, Demyx," Riku's voice put in from behind them. The boy himself walked next to Gibbs, Keyblade in hand. His blade resembled a large black wing. "Why'd you want Sora to die?"

"Because he killed me!" the blonde shot back. He jerked backwards out of Gibbs' grip and stood proudly. "I was just doing my job trying to get a rise out of him, and he goes and kills me! I didn't want to do anything but annoy him, and he kills me. How rude is that?"

Gibbs nodded in understanding. "You were Demyx," he stated. "Sora told me about you. He said you were a water elemental."

"I was, back when I was a Nobody. Now that I'm just human it's a lot harder now to control the water, but I can use it well enough," Demyx said coldly. "Enough to knock Sora out, and enough to keep Wakka still so I could kill him and frame Sora. I used a dagger of ice to slice his throat open, let him bleed out onto Sora so you'd think he did it. And I succeeded! You can kill me now but Sora's dead and I have my revenge!"

Gibbs couldn't help it. His fist flew out and caught Demyx in the chin, the blonde falling backwards with teeth a second behind. "There you have it," he said in disgust. "You all let Sora kill himself and here's your culprit right here. Do what you want with him, I'm done."

Gibbs was on his way to the door when Kairi's voice stopped him. "Sora's not dead."

All eyes turned to her. She was looking at where Sora had been, absently twisting her hair around a finger. She noticed the attention and blinked. "What? He's not dead."

Riku blinked, eye widening. "Oh."

Abyss looked between them, scrubbing tears from his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"He used the Keyblade on himself once before," Kairi reminded him. "Remember?"

Abyss thought back, then blinked. "Oh."

Gibbs was lost. "What? What's going on?"

"Gibbs, remember!" Ziva said suddenly. "When Sora was telling us his story before, he mentioned when he turned into a Heartless."

"Yeah, when he was telling us about Roxas. He said he used the Keyblade…" And it was Gibbs' turn to blink. "Oh."

"Kairi, let's get to the Castle," Riku said immediately, Demyx forgotten. "We need to let Donald, Goofy, and Mickey know so we can start looking for him."

"Where are we going to start?" Abyss protested. "He could be anywhere!"

* * *

Didn't expect this ending, didja? I can't promise when a sequel will be coming, but it is in the works. Until then, leave whatever comments you'd like! (Flames will be used in the Lea Ressurection Fund)


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